VCU to host Maine transfer, Issac Vann

Maine transfer Issac Vann will visit VCU this week. He averaged 16.4 points as a freshman this past season.

Maine transfer Issac Vann will visit VCU this week. He averaged 16.4 points as a freshman this past season.

VCU’s recent announcement of transfers by freshman Gerron Scissum and Jonathan Nwankwo opens up one roster spot, a spot that very well could be filled by 6’6 Maine transfer, Issac Vann.

ESPN recruiting insider Jeff Borzello tweeted yesterday that Vann would be on campus this Tuesday for a visit with the Rams.

Vann played in just 17 games this past season as a freshman with the Black Bears (suffered a mid-season injury) but averaged an impressive 16.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.6 steals in his 28.3 minutes per contest.

The Orono, Maine native was Maine’s best player last season in his first year of action, checking in at tops on the team with a 107.3 offensive rating.

Vann was an efficient offensive player with a 57.1% true shooting percentage thanks to his ability to finish both inside and outside of the arc, as well as an impressive 6.6 fouls drawn per 40 minutes. He was the third best player in the American East at drawing contact on offense and connected on 78.3% of his free throws in conference play.

Defensively Vann showed tons of promise in his first season of D1 hoops, ranking in the top-10 in the American East in both blocks (3.1) and steals percentages (3.2).

“I’ve decided it is in my best interest to transfer from the University of Maine. I feel I am capable of competing at a higher level and am excited to test my abilities. It is difficult to leave my teammates at UMaine and I’ll always appreciate my time with the Black Bears. I am grateful to the University of Maine, and to Coach Walsh and his staff, for the opportunity they provided me. They made me a better player and helped me mature as a person and a student throughout my first year of college,” Vann said in a statement on his decision to transfer.

“He’s a terrific talent, was a really good teammate, a great student. He’s everything we want here,” Maine head coach Bob Walsh told Portland’s WCSH6.

The Rams have been a possible landing spot for a number of top transfers this offseason but so far have yet to lock up a commitment.

VCU is scheduled to bring in three new freshman faces highlighted by ESPN top-60 recruit, De’Riante Jenkins. Rams fans will also get to see freshman Samir Doughty in action after being ruled ineligible by the NCAA just before the start of this past season, giving VCU a four-man freshman class at the moment with Jenkins and Doughty as well as incoming freshmen Marquell Fraser and Malik Crowfield.

VCU School of the Arts (BFA ’07) and Center for Sport Leadership (M.Ed. ’10) alumnus, Mat has followed VCU basketball since the Sunbelt days when he’d attend games with his father. Worked as a graduate assistant in the VCU Sports Information Department for the ’09-’10 season, but has covered VCU basketball for VCURamNation.com since 2007.